The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-24
A ROMANTIC JOKE.
How a Sham Wedding Turned Out
Real


Real.
Charleston (IH) Special to Globe Democrat.
There is lying very i'll in this city an old
gentleman, Is years of age, whose early life,
inclusive of love, courtship and marriage,
forms n fitting basis for a writer of ro-
nance to weave therefrom an interesting
story. Butt is just as interesting to the
reader, perhaps, to chronicle the actual
events connected Herewith. The old gen
tleman is one of the most widely known cit
liens, whose name appeared at one time i'll
the columns of the Globe Democrat among
the names of the most wealthy citizens Of
Coles county-Mr. Richard StOddard. He
has been a citizen of Coles county since 1888
and has been identified with the county's
growth.
Mr. Stoddard is one OF the class of men
who never grow old in thought or action
always possessed an admiration for joke
has delighted telling them to others and
equally delighted in having them perpe-
trated on himself. In those early days of
settlement in Illinois it was quite customary
(aS in all new countries, it seems to tender
considerable license to practical joking.
About the time of which we write there
lived in Charleston a justice of the peace
named h. {. Dunbar Dunbar was also
fun-loving individual, and Stoddard and he
from time to time on each other, which
finally resulted in a rather serious one.
1t seems that one bleak, dreary day in the
month OF March, as disagreeable as March
days can sometimes be, Mr.. Stoddard came
to Dunbar and informed him that a friend
of his Dunbar's), who resided some 20 miles
from town, was to be married that day and
had requested that Squire Dunbar be sent
up to perform the ceremony Fees were
things sought after more assiduously then
than now, marriage, as well as any other
kind and Dunbar, nothing doubling, pro-
ceeded on the journey. Arriving at the
point OF destination nearly frozen he was
appalled, to find it was only huge joke of
Stoddards. He said nothing, but INDUCED
inwardly i'll few pages OF profane history,
and backward turned home, taking it good
naturally and hiding his time to pay off
Stoddard in his own coin. An opportunity
presented itself during the next winter
1t was the custom of early settlers to get
up mock weddings at their parties of some
couple who were particularly ''sweet" on
each other, having the sham ceremony per-
formed by some sham official or sham clergy
man. One of these parties were given on
Christmas evening, 1874, and Dunbar, with
the design OF retaliating upon Stoddard.
vent to the County Clerks office, Samuel
Huffman being the clerk, and procured a
marriage license for Richard Stoddard and
Catherine Rizor, young lady with whom
be had been keeping company for some time.
Armed with his document he proceeded TO
the party, and engineered matters so sue
cessfully as to have Stoddard and Miss Rizor
parties for the ceremony. As a justice of
the peace, he was called on TO perform the
supposed sham wedding Confronting the
couple with due solemnity for a wedding for
keeps he asked the usual questions re-
CURED by law, was answered satisfactorily,
srNA
aware he was an officer, authorized by law
to perform the marriage ceremony, asked if
it was their 'deSire to be united in holy
wedlock?' They answered in the aifirma-
tive and he, holding the license in his hand
(which they supposed was nothing but a
blank piece OF paper went through with the
ceremony in full, received the responses and
solemnly pronounced them imam and wife"
He turned away, made out the certificate
with the usual witnesses, went over to the
Clerks Office where he returned the certif-
cate and had it recorded that night without
giving q hint of the genuinenesS OF the pro-
ceedings.
The next day, however, the matter leaked
out, and so many of Stoddard's friends joked
him about being married in SO novel q man
ner he went TO the Clerks Office to investi-
gate and found it true. He went to the girl
and informed her what had occurred, when
quite an excitement arose Of course she
cried and Stoddard swore, no doubt: not
that they objected to each other, but to
the way they were inveigled into it.
At last Stoddard informed her they had
better make the best of 'horrid joke and
call it genuine. Like a good, sensible
woman, as she was, she consented, and so
the sham wedding turned out real one,
and, perhaps, there never lived in Charles
ton or anywhere else a more devoted and
loving couple than Mr. and Mrs Richard
Stoddard. Mrs. Stoddard died in 1872, leav-
ing behind her a record worth of imitation
by the young women of this country
As to Squire Dunbar, he was last heard of
in Texas; but, if living or dead, he doubt
less has often reflected chat he paid Stoddard
for his joke, with compound interest.